Banjo.



PATE'NTED 0013.16; 1906.

W. 'B. FARMER.

BANJO.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR.31, 1906.

INVENTOH y m w W W A TTORNEYS 1M: NORRI: PITEIIS ca, WASHINGTON, n.'c.

WILLIAM B. FARMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BANJO- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16,1906.

Application filed March 31, 1906. Serial No. 309,091-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. FARMER, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Banjo, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to banjos and like musical instruments in which strings extend over a stretched membrane.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved banjo or a similar musical instrument arranged to produce an exceedingly sharp, clear, and yet very melodious tone when the instrument is played, to allow of convenient loosening of the membrane with a view to relieve it of undue tension after playing and while the. instrument is not in use, and to permit of readily adjusting the membrane to bring it into proper relation to the frets in case the neck of the instrument should warp.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same,

. which will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in both views.

Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of the improvement, part being broken out, and Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The banjo illustrated in Fig. 1 consists of the usual body A, from which extends the neck B, provided at its outer end of the head (not shown) with strings C, extending over a bridge D and connected with a tailpiece E, the said bridge being set on top of the membrane F, having its outer edge extending over the rim G and engaging a ring H, ressed on by a tightening-ring I, connecte with the usual threaded hooks J, employed for drawing the membrane F tighton the body A. The threaded hooks J are held in the usual bearings K, attached to the rim G of the body A. The under side of the membrane F is engaged by a metallic resonant ring L, having a straight portion L extending transversely of the string C at a point between the bridge D and the tailpiece E, as will be readily understood by reference to the drawings. The resonant ring L is engaged at its under side by the points M of j ack-screws M, extending through elongated slots 0 in brackets O, fastened to the inside of the rim G by sundry of the bearings K previously mentioned. A jam-nut P screws on each jack-screw M against the top surface of the corresponding bracket 0 to securely hold. the jack-screw in position on Y the bracket 0. By loosening the jam-nut P the jack-screw M can be readily adjusted in or out to bring its point M in proper engagement with the under side of the resonant ring L.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the top of the ring L is a distance above the top of the rim G, so that the membrane F is firmly stretched over the resonant ring L and. then over the top of the rim G, and by screwing the jackscrews M up or down a desired tension can be given to the membrane F.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, four jack-screws M are employed; but I do not limit myself to this particular number, as more or less j ackscrews may be used. Two of the jack-screws, however, are preferably arranged to engage the einds of the straight portion L of the T111 If desired, the under surface of the ring L may be provided with small countersinks for receiving the pointed ends h of the jackscrews M. By providing the resonant ring L with a straight portion L it is evident that a longer stretch of the membrane F is obtained from the straight portion L to the bottom or the tail end of the body A, and by this arrangement it is permissible to place the bridge D the proper distance from the rim G, so that an exceedingly clear, sharp, and yet melodious tone is obtained when the instrument is played.

In banjos having, for instance, a twentyone-inch neck and a twelveinch rim it is desirable to use a twenty-nine-inch string, measuring from the nut to the bridge D. Now this necessitates placing the bridge D about four inches from the rim G, so that a dull tone is produced when the instrument is played, and if the bridge is set nearer to the rim to overcome this defect then a longer and undesirable neck is required to accommodate the usual twenty-two frets. By the use of my resonant ring L, having the straight portion L arranged as shown, I am enabled to place the bridge D in its usual positionthat is, about four inches from the rim Gand to produce a sharp clear tone when playing the instrument.

By the arrangement described the player IIC is enabled to relieve the membrane F of unduev tension after playing and while the instrument is not in use by simply slacking up the j ack-screws M, and by engaging the jackscrews M with the ring L at different points it is evident that the membrane F may be ad justed so as to bring the upper surface thereof in a plane parallel to the plane of the face of the neck, even should the latter be warped. By attaching the brackets O to the rim G by sundry of the bearings K it is evident that the improvement may be readily applied to any banjo as now constructed.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A musical instrument having a body provided with a rim, a membrane for the same, and a resonant ring over which the .membrane is stretched and having an apthe banjo at a point between the bridge and I the tailpiece of the banjo, and'adjustable supporting means for the said ring and carried by the said rim.

, 4. A banjo having a body provided with a rim, a membrane for the same, a resonant ring over which the membrane is stretched and having an approximately straight portion extending transversely to the strings of the banjo at a point between the bridge and the tailpiece of the banjo, jack-screws supporting the said resonant ring and brackets attached to the said rim and carrying the said jack-screws.

5. A banjo having a body provided with a rim, a membrane for the same, a resonant ring over which the membrane is stretched and having an approximately straight portion extending transversely to the strings of the banjo at a point between the bridge and the tailpiece of the banjo, jack-screwshaving pointed ends engaging the under sideof the said resonant ring, and brackets attached to the said rim and in whichthe said jack-screws are adjustably mounted. v I

6. A banjo having a body provided with a rim, a membrane for the same, a resonant ring over which the membrane is stretched and having an approximately straight portion extending transversely to the strings of the banjo at a point between the bridge and the tailpiece of the banjo, jack-screws for supporting thesaid resonant ring, sundry of the jack-screws engaging the ring at the ends of the said straight portion, and brackets attached to the inside'of the rim and carrying the said jack-screws. 1

7. A banjo or similar musical instrument provided with a resonant ring engaging the under side of the membrane a distance removed from the rim, the said ring having an approximately straight portion extending transversely of the strings at a point between the bridge and the tailpiece of the instrument.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothis specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM B. FARMER.

Witnesses: v

THEo. G. HOSTER, EvERARD B. MARSHALL. 

